Apparatus for measuring salinity



Dec. 29, 1942. G. B. ELLIS 2,306,691

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING SALINITY Filed Aug. l, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l g-m-f 5 4L I 7? 24 O I @j I zg I /Z' I I l I l I I I s I ,9| I I I I ff 35* I i I l I l I I 3 I g HLM-25 i '-22 13 I $.10 A

yg Z

fMPf/M/PEEW coMPE/Am/P I A' I3 f" fw" #I (Hl [al (Ell C'fzl @Ell L j? I Z2 INVENTQR. l? 7? ze 72 BY fz//zw//ef//zf www?, MMI@ M ATroRNEVs APPARATUS FOR MEASURING SALINITY Filed Aug. l, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /W/J ATTORNEYS yreplenish fresh water supplies.

taminated with sea water.

Patented Dec. 29', 1942 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE 2,308,691 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING SALINITY GrenvilleA B. Ellis, Rockville Centre, N. Y., assignor to Control Instrument Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York .Application august 1, 1940,'se'riaiNo. 349,354 's claims. (ci. 11s- 183) This invention relates to apparatus for electrically measuring the salinity of water, such apparatus being especially useful on ships at sea.I

On shipboard, sea water is use'd for cooling f condensers, etc. and is sometimes distilled to Thus, the sea 'water is conducted into proximity to the fresh Salinity-measuring apparatus has been used heretofore for such purposes. In what is probably the most satisfactory form previously known, it comprises variousl testing cells distributed throughoutthe fresh water system and so arranged that they are contacted by, or acted upon. bythe fresh water. Each of these cells ordinarily includes a pair of spaced electrodes between which the fresh water actscas an electrolyte or conductor. Circuits and switches are used to selectively connect each of the cells with a meter system so arranged that a'potential is applied to the two electrodes of the cell and the resulting current is measured by a meter. The greater the salt content of the water, the higher its conductivity, and the higher the current that flows to the meter. This permits calibration of the meter in terms-of grains of sea salt per gallon of water. Because the conductivity of the water also varies with temperature. compensating or correcting' means are employed in the apparatus to eliminate the effect of temperature in the'resulting reading of the meter.

It is desirable to energize the testing apparatus from the ships source of alternating current supply, and such a source is apt to vary'- both in voltage and frequency. However, the electrical meter is provided with an air core alternating current field in which is pivotaily mounted a moving system consisting of two air core coils mechanically fixed in quadrature; and such a meter is properly responsive to alternating current without variation due to reasonable changes in voltage or frequency.' One .of the coils is a holding coil which is constantly energized and biases themeter to zero position. Energization of the. quadrature coil in response to current flowing through the testing cell causes deflection of the meter to indicate the salinity.

With this prior art apparatus the amount of fmeter deflection possible is .necessarily less than 90, thereby correspondingly limiting the accuracy and readability of the meter.` Additionally, as a moving coil approaches the position in which it embraces the maximum field flux, the torque of the coll falls off. Inthe aforesaid prior art system, this results in low torque at both ends of the scale, with corresponding insensitiveness of the meter at both low and high readings. This insensitivenessv at low readings may result in failure to detect in the earlier stages the leakage of sea water into-the fresh water system.

A general object of the present invention is to provide salinity measuring apparatus of increased sensitiveness and improved performance.

Another 'object of the -invention is to provide salinity measuring apparatus having a meter the torque of which is relatively high at the ends of the scale. l

A further object of the invention is to provide electric salinity measuring apparatus in which the possible deflection is substantially more than to the end that the scale may be lengthened, or in lieu thereof, that the more accurate portion ofthe possible scale be utilized in the measuring instrument.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a schematic diagram showing salinity measuring apparatus embodying the present invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram ofthe meter and circuit shown' in Fig. 1. on an enlarged scale. i

Alternating current is deliveredover conductors 5 to the primary of transformer B. lEach of the conductors 5 is fused at 'I and provided with anindicator 8 (e. g. a neon lamp) to indicate when a fuse is blown. Transformer 8 is providedwith a secondary 8 of relatively high voltage (e. g. 110 to volts). and another secondary i0 of relatively lcw vvoltage (e. g. 15 volts). Connected. across secondary is a pilot lamp il which indibus wires I4, Il. A switch Il serves to include' the bus wires I4. Il' (and any cell connected across the bus wires) into a circuit, which will be described later.

An electric meter I6 has air core eld coils l1 and I8 which are energized from transformer secondary I via conductor I8, conductor 20, coil I1, conductor 2|, coil I8, conductor 22, terminal 24, and conductor 26 back to transformer secondary I 0. Pivotally mounted in the field produced by coils I1 and I8 is a springless, air core moving system comprising physically parallel coils 26 and 21 and a third coil 28 at right angles to each of the coils 26 and 21. All three of these coils are rigidly connected together and they are pivoted at 28 to turn as a unit and thereby move pointer 88 over scale 8l. (Fig. 2.)

Coils 28, 21 and 28 are all connected in series to be energized from transformer secondary 9,l and this series circuit also includes a variable temperature-compensating resistance 44. The circuit is from transformer secondary 8, line resistor 84, conductor 88, terminal 86, conductor 81, the winding of coil 28, conductor 88, the winding of coil 21, conductor 89, the winding of coil 26, conductor 4Il, terminal 4I, conductor 42, temperature compensating resistor 44, conductor 45, and cona ductor 48 back to secondary 9. The coils 21 and 28 are also arranged to be included in a second series circuit which additionally includes any one of the cells A to F inclusive. Suppose switches A and I5 to be closed, while switches B', C', D',

E', and F' are open, and switch 82 is in the position shown in the drawings. Then there is a circuit from transformer secondary 8, line resistor 84, conductor 88, terminal 86, conductor 87. the Winding of coil 28, conductor 38, the winding of coil 21, conductor 41, terminal 48, conductor 68, switch 82, conductor 6I, the right-hand leg of switch I 8, bus wire I4, right-hand leg of switch A', cell A, left-hand leg Vof switch A', bus wire I4', left-handles of switch I8, conductor 52. and conductor 46 back to transformer secondary 8.

By opening switch A and closing any oi' the other switches B' to F', any of the other cells may be substituted in the circuit for cell A. Also by opening switch I and shifting switch 82 to its alternative position, checking resistor 84 may be substituted into the circuit in lieu of one of the cells A to F inclusive. This resistor has a definite fixed resistance equal to the correct resistance of one of the cells A to F at a predetermined salinity and temperature. By substituting that it embraces the maximum ilux of the eld. Since the coils are mechanically connected together, they cannot move separately, but all resistor 54 into the circuit from time to time the operation of the apparatus may be checked. It everything is in order, the reading of the meter will then be a definite predetermined value.

The operation of the apparatus will best be seen from Fig. 2. This figure is simplified by omitting everything except the bare electrical essentials and by including a single one of the cells A to F into the circuit. In lieu of showing the field coils I1 and I8, the axis of the eld is indicated by line 88.

The temperature compensating resistor 44 is so arranged that it cannot be adjusted to inilnite resistance, i. e., it will always pass some current. Suppose that the water which is in contact with the cell has no saline content, with the result that the cell passes no current. Then the only current flowing is in the circuit from source 8, line resistor 84, the winding of coll 28, conductor 88, the winding of coil 21, conductor 88, the winding of coil 28, conductor 42, temperature com.

28, 21 and 28 tends to move into such position 75 three coils have to move as a single system. This results in the moving system (and hand 38) taking up a position which is a resultant of the turning forces exerted by the three coils. The connections and windings of the ileld coils and the respective armature coils are in such directions that coil 28 tends to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, while coil 26 tends to turn counterclockwise to a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2 and coil 21 tends to turn clockwise to a position at. right angles to that shown in Fig. 2. Coil 26 has a greater number of turns than coil 21, and therefore, the deecting force of coil 26 is greater than that of coll 21 when the same current is owing in' these two coils. Thus, under the circuit conditions just traced, the counter-clockwise eiort of coil 26 overbalances the clockwise effort of coil 21 and the system turns counter-clockwise in opposition to the tendency of coil 28 to stay in the mid-scale position shown in Fig. 2. This results in the needle or pointer 30 coming to zero position on the scale, the relative strength of the coils being so proportioned as to produce this result.

Now suppose that the cell becomes slightly conducting. Then an additional current flows through coils 21 and 28 via a circuit from source 8, line resistor 34, the winding of coil 28, conductor 88, the winding of coil 21, conductor 41, the cell, and conductor 46 back to source 9. This additional current in the coils 21 and 28 increases the torque of those coils. Toil 28 tends more strongly to swing to the mid-scale position, and coil 21 tends more strongly to move clockwise to a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, the additional current increases the voltage drop in line resistor 34, thereby diminishing t some extent the current in coil 26. Accordingly, the counter-clockwise torque of coil 26 falls off to some extent. Therefore, the resultant effect on the moving system of the meter is to advance the needle or pointer 30 from zero toward the half scale position.

As the current through the cell continues to increase, the clockwise torque of coil 2l also continues to increase (while the counter-clockwise torque of coil 26 continues to decline), so that there comes a time when the clockwise eflort of coil 21 exactly balances the counter-clockwisel the current through coil 21 increases still further, with the result that the clockwise turning eiort of coil 21 becomes even greater than the counter-clockwise effort of coil 26. Accordingly, the needle or pointer is advanced. from half scale position toward full scale position.

It will be noted that coil 28 biases the moving system of the meter to the mid-scale position, and that when the torque of coil 28 exceeds that of coil 21 the moving system of the meter positions itseif in the quadrant' to the left of the midscale position, while when the torque of coil 21 exceeds that of coil 26 the moving system of the meter positions itself in the quadrant to the right of the mid-scale position. By utilizing each oi' these quadrants to the extent of more than 45 each, the entire scale of the meter can be extended to considerably beyond if desired.

If the greater part of each of these quadrants conditions. Accordingly, Iprefer to limit the length of the scale and thereby have the ends of the scale in such a range that the coils 26 and 21 will, at the end o! the scale, be in positions where increments of movement of these coils result in relatively large changes in the amount ot iield ilux embraced by these coils. This provides the moving system with relatively high torque at the ends of the scale, thereby giving the measuring system desirable sensitivity at low scale and high scale positions of the needle. This insures detection, in the early stages, of any contamination of the fresh water with sea water.

For water to a given saline content, the conductivity increases with temperature. Thus, corrections should be made for the effect 'of temperature. This is done by temperature compensating resistor M with which there may be a cooperating temperature scale 60 (Fig. 1.). By adjusting the temperature compensator to diminish the portion of resistance 44 in the circuit, the current owing through coil 2l is increased.

" This increases'the counter-clockwise turning effort of coil 2l, thereby compensating for that increase of current in coil 21 which is due to an increase in temperature oi' the water rather than an increase in salinity. Preferably the scale 80 is marked directly in terms oi' temperature, the

entire system being calibrated by immersing the cell in an actual water bath whose temperature and saline content is varied and the necessary scale data thereby obtained for temperature scale El and meter scale 2l. Preferably meter scale Il is marked directly in terms of. grains oi' sea salt per. gallon of water.

It will be apparent that various operating characteristics can be imparted to the apparatus by varying the number oi turns of the moving coils and varying the resistance of the various circuit elements. In one actual embodiment that I have used the resistances were approximately as follows: resistor 3l, 1420 ohms; temperature compensating .resistor Il, 5390 ohms; coil 21, 125 ohms; coil 28, 65 ohms; coil 26, 325 ohms. Often it may be convenient to bring the coils 26, 21 and 2l to the desired resistance by means of inserting iixed resistances outside of the windings themselves. In this same embodiment of the invention which I have used coil 26 had 540 turns while coils 21 and 28 each had 270 tin-ns. 'Ihe greater number of turns of coil 2,as compared to coil 21 is one way of givingl coil 20 a greater turning force per unit of current. A similar result could be accomplished by making coil 26 of greater cross sectional area than coil 21 so that it would thereby embrace a greater amount of the eld ilux.

In compliance with the patent statute I have disclosed the best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention. It will be realized-however, that the disclosure is illustrative, rather than limiting, and that various modiilcations and arrangements may be made within the scope of the invention.

I claim: l. In apparatus for electrically measuring the salinity of water, the apparatus including circuit connections, a cell to pass current varying with the salinity. a plural coil moving system having at least one coil connected to receive anenergizing current varying with the current passed by said cell, and means to establish an electromagnetic iield with which the 'moving system reacts to produce a deflection that is a measure of the salinity; the improvement which comprises: the moving system having two coaxial coils and having a third coil whose axis is perpendicular to that of the first two coils, all three of said coils of the moving system being connected in a series circuit to be energized with a current independent ot the current passed by said cell,v a variable impedance being also included in said series circuit, and the circuit connections providing an additional circuit to pass the cell current through two of4 said coils of the movingvsystem whose axes are perpendicular.

2. In apparatus Afor electrically measuring the salinity o! water, the apparatus including circuit connections, a cell to pass current varying with the salinity, a plural coil moving system having at least one coil connected to receive an energizing current varying with the current passed by said cell, and means to establish an electromagnetic iield with which the moving system reacts to produce a deflection that is a measure of the salinity; the improvement which comprises: the moving system having two coaxial coils diilering as to their number of turns and having a third coil whose axis is perpendicular to that of the iirst two coils, all three of said coils of the moving system being connected in a series circuit to be energized with a current independent or the current passed by said cell, a variable impedance being also included in said series circuit, and the circuit connections providing an additional circuit to pass the cell current through said third coil and the one of said two coils which has the lesser number of turns.

3. In apparatus for electrically measuring the salinity of water, the apparatus including circuit connections, a cell to pass current varying with the salinity, a plural coil moving system having at least one coil connected t0 receive an energizing current varying with the current passed by said cell, and means to establish an electromagnetic iield with which the moving system reacts to produce a deflection that is a measure oi the salinity; the improvement which comprises:- the moving system having -a iirst coil, la second coil coaxial, therewith and oi. double the number of turns; and a third coil of the same GnENvruE B. Elms. 

